Lifelong Learning

Executive Training and Lifelong Learning Office (ETLLO) is offering a course for our internal graduate students.

The course aims at helping students develop their speaking and writing skills necessary for their academic work, and for appropriate participation in social communication in an English-speaking community. This course will provide students with opportunities to engage in small group and class discussions on academic and general topics to communicate their ideas in both written and oral forms. They will develop new strategies for communicating and listening and comprehending conversations. Students will develop and deliver modified general and academic speeches and discussions on a wide spectrum of general and academic genres, including:

General and academic speaking skills

Everyday general and specific academic topics will be used to explore the key elements for students to effectively speak publicly through the use of short presentations targeting the use of aim, topic and audience.

General and academic writing skills

Students will develop effective argumentation techniques and organizational strategies in using appropriate language to craft different sections of their presentations in spoken and written forms.

Annotated Bibliography:

Students will be able to construct a list of relevant citations to books, articles, and documents that follows the appropriate style format for the discipline. Each citation will be followed by a brief descriptive, critical and evaluative paragraph.

Academic presentations

Students will learn how audience and purpose influence the content, organization and language style of a presentation.

 

Aims of the course: Intended Learning Outcomes

1.Knowledge and Content Related Students can:

a)   identify and address the needs and concerns of a variety of audiences in speaking and writing

b)    identify the overall structure and function of English articles

c)    critically analyse and discuss current issues and recent developments in your major area of study

d)  support ideas with appropriate evidence, and properly acknowledge sources
2. Academic Skills and Competencies Students can:

a) make use of appropriate organizational structures, tones and formats in speaking and writing for different audiences and purposes

b) include citations and quotations in research writing, and effectively synthesize different viewpoints to form a coherent argument

c) use accurate, fluent and persuasive language to speak and write based on quantitative data, and to engage the audience from the beginning to the conclusion
3. Ethical Standards Students can:

demonstrate academic integrity in course assignments.
4. Vision and Orientation to the Future Students can:

recognize the need to communicate courteously and appropriately in professional contexts.

 

Course Outline for Academic Programme for Postgraduate Students

Class

Topics

1

 –  Using general topics for speaking and writing

–  Brainstorming topics

–  Giving a short presentation about yourself and your plans

2

 –  Organising information about a topic

–  Crafting suitable GenAI prompts

–  Leverage GenAI in the brainstorming and research process

–  Selected ESP reading (1)

3

 – Open reading

– Evaluating credibility of sources 

– Reliable & unreliable sources, bias & neutral perspectives

4

 – Effective article note-taking

– Summarising & Paraphrasing

5

 –  Selected ESP reading (2)

–  Spoken presentation on a selected text (20%)

6

 – Academic language & style I:

– Outlining

– Academic Word List

7

 – Academic language & style II:

– Structure, Improving paragraphs

– Cohesion and Linking ideas

– Annotated Bibliography (15%)

8

 – Avoiding plagiarism

– In-text citations

– Selected ESP reading (3)

9

 –  Synthesising multiple sources

–  Expressing your opinions about a topic

– Writing the first draft

10

 –  Editing your paper

–  Peer Review (10%)

11

 – Utilise GenAI to generate outlines and drafts for presentations

– Slide Design, Layout and Content

– Preparing for an introduction

12

 – Practising basic techniques (emphasis, focusing, softening, repetition)

– Gathering the message components

– Selected ESP reading (4)

13

 – Engaging your audience

– Using phrases and terms in formal presentations

– Presenting without a script

– Handling questions

14

 – Presenting creatively for different purposes

– Rehearsing and polishing

– Using voices (articulation, chunking, stress and pacing)

15

 – Presentation on academic topic (30%)

– Written essay on academic topic (25%)

 

Details:

Instructor: Lecturer Jack Hsiao
Date: (Schedule postponed until further notice)

06 November 2025 to 12 January 2026 (22, 25, 29 December 2025 and 01 January 2026 excluded)
Time & Schedule: Mon, Thur 13:00-15:00

(click here for a detailed schedule)
Duration: 30 Hours (15 Sessions)
Location: Ilha Verde Campus
Language: English
Delivery of Mode: Face-to-face Lecture
Tuition Fee: MOP2,000
Targeted Participants: Current USJ internal graduate students
Online Registration form: Click here

 

Notes: the D.S.E.D.J. 2023-2026 Continuing Education Development Subsidy Scheme and the Lifelong Learning Public Programmes Tuition Fee Discount Policy (LLO-529) are NOT available for this course.

HOW TO APPLY

A three-step flow of “Registration, Notification, Enrolment” applies.

Applicants should first register (through methods listed in the “Registration” section on our website) during the application period of a Programme. Accepted Registrants will be notified through SMS and they must complete the application process in person during the period mentioned in the SMS, with a valid copy of Macao Resident ID Card.

A certificate of completion will be issued for participants fulfilling an attendance rate of 70%.

Withdrawal applications must follow stated policies.

Remark: Programmes may be cancelled due to insufficient registration.

How to Apply